Monday, October 10. 2016

The molars are the most commonly damaged teeth in a person's dentition, since they are the main teeth tasked to chew food. Because of their cube-like shape with narrow grooves and slight bumps (or cusps), the surface of the molar is prone to plaque buildup, which causes tooth decay and damage.

However, an impacted molar does not get damaged in a snap. Most of the time, the damage starts with a small crack, which gradually grows bigger in time, slowly "consuming" the enamel or the outer surface of the tooth. Yet, no matter how slow the damage eats up a tooth, it is something that should not be ignored, and must be attended to by a dentist in Oxon Hill as soon as possible to prevent further damage, which could lead to tooth extraction. Depending on the severity of the damage in the molar, as well as the condition of the remaining parts of it, a dentist will most probably suggest a dental inlay or onlay.

Inlays and onlays are types of dental restorations that cover a partially damaged pre-molar or molar. The only difference between the two is the amount of surface they cover. An inlay covers the center part of a molar's or premolar's chewing surface, technically "in" between the molar cusps, thus the name. An onlay, on the other hand, covers a portion of a molar's or pre-molar's chewing surface, and extends to at least one of the molar cusps, making it "on" top of the cusp. Sometimes called partial fillings, they can be described as slightly larger than a dental filling, but smaller than a dental crown. However, there are certain differences among these three dental procedures.

Depending on how they are molded, an inlay or onlay may either be direct or indirect. Unlike a dental filling that is applied and hardened directly on the impacted tooth, inlays and onlays are hardened first before they are cemented on the impacted tooth. For a direct inlay or onlay, the dentist will clean off the impacted tooth of cavity and tooth decay, and fit a soft composite resin on the damaged area. The dentist will carve and adjust it, to achieve the perfect size, shape, and fit. Then, they will remove the shaped mold, and place it in an oven, or under a curing light, to harden. It will then be cemented in place using dental , and polished using burs to achieve perfect alignment. This whole process can be done in one visit.

An indirect inlay or onlay is done in a dental laboratory, and requires two visits. Instead of directly molding a soft composite resin on the impacted tooth, the dentist will create a 3D model of the damaged area using a plaster mold. A temporary filling will be placed in the impacted area while the dental laboratory is creating the inlay or onlay using the mold. Once done, the dentist will then cement the inlay or onlay in place.

Carefully designed and manufactured inlays and onlays provide a stronger support for an impacted tooth compared to dental fillings. Also, they are more convenient and more comfortable, and do not require reducing healthy enamel, unlike dental crowns. These dental procedures are the perfect choice in giving your dentition a lovely layout while preventing further damage to your teeth.